Watch Buying Guide Series - Choosing a Brand

How do you buy a watch? This is a question that even seasoned enthusiasts sometimes find confusing. As one's financial situation, aesthetic sense, brand perception, consumption level, and taste evolve, every enthusiast may, to some extent, doubt their choices. Based on these considerations, we have summarised the experiences and lessons of many fellow enthusiasts to provide basic selection methods for purchasing a new watch. We offer only a brief introduction here, though we do so with some trepidation, as there is a risk of being misleading. If this aligns with the reader's thinking and provides confirmation, that is ideal; if it contradicts your views, we sincerely welcome your corrections.

    Choosing a Brand
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    Whether a novice or an enthusiast, there will be hesitation when choosing a brand. There are simply too many good brands in this world, and too many temptations. If you are determined to buy a watch, you must decide on the brand you need before making the purchase. In terms of brand, the following factors should be considered:Extensive Exchange Net

    1. Brand recognition: For a novice, the most basic reference is likely the brands they are familiar with or know. Usually, 'famous watches' refer to well-known brands, and based on experience, I believe the quality of famous watches is generally not inferior. However, as a novice, one should not blindly believe rumours. In recent years, many friends have bought fake 'famous' watches in Hong Kong; brands like 'Rossdenton', 'Valstar', and 'Rosdenton' were hyped up by salespeople, but they were actually just Hong Kong-assembled domestic goods. I suggest that before buying a watch, novices should visit large, professional watch shops to request information and obtain details about watch brands; this is very important. Traditional famous brands also change with the times; some European brands, although sharing the same name, are now produced and assembled in Asia, and in terms of craftsmanship and quality, they have fallen behind the original European products. Therefore, it is a rational form of consumption to learn about well-known brands before opening your wallet.

     Two. Brand tier: Everywhere you go, there will be people who distinguish value by brand tier. Many watch enthusiasts rely on past experience based on the domestic watch rankings from the seventies to determine brand positioning, which was relatively scientific at the time. However, the classification of tiers back then had significant limitations due to domestic consumption levels; for instance, world-renowned high-end brands like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Audemars Piguet were not even included in the rankings. Therefore, the original ranking itself is unreliable, and selecting a brand based on rankings is not very scientific; it can only serve as a reference. Thus, it is recommended that beginners do not blindly pursue non-existent rankings before buying a watch.

    Sometimes, the so-called brand tier is based entirely on price, which may be a market necessity and can certainly serve as one of the bases for enthusiasts to buy watches.

    Furthermore, it is not necessarily the case that an entry-level model from a high-end brand is superior to a high-end model from a mid-range brand; this requires time to review information and compare before one can understand.

    Three. Brand collections: After selecting a brand, beginners may occasionally be confused by the wide variety of different collections. This choice is not difficult; every brand sets up collections of different tiers for consumers with different needs. For example, the Tissot Ballade collection is higher than the entry-level Seastar collection; the Ballade collection is Tissot's main line, while the Seastar is the entry-level one. For instance, the Rolex Yacht-Master collection is naturally higher than the Air King collection. Of course, some brand collections are not strictly classified by watch tier, but simply offer an additional style to choose from.

    Friends often ask, what is a certain brand like? Which brand is more high-end and suitable to choose? It is difficult to answer such questions, as not all collections from a high-end brand are at the same level. There is a wise old saying: 'Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.' I believe that when choosing a brand, reflecting on this quote may provide some inspiration.